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Friday, 20 November 2015

Learn to love who you are

Can you honestly say that you love every part of who you are? Your failures, your weaknesses, your body after Christmas? It's not always easy, right? Of course we'll love who we are when we're achieving our dreams- when everything is going according to our plan. But how we love- and talk- about ourselves is a pretty big deal. Even when we've messed up. The times when I was most happy with who I was has shown: I was confident, didn't feel the need to compare, I knew who I was and didn't let the surroundings I was in change me. People can tell quite easily if you're happy with where you are at. They listen to how you talk about yourself. Or how you rise above a challenging situation and refuse to let it define you because you know who you are, and that obstacles will only shape you for the better.

It makes me sad when people say they hate themselves. When they hate their weaknesses, their past mistakes, their job, their body. It's OK to dislike who you once were- but please, love who you are right now. Even with all your weaknesses and struggles, you deserve to love yourself.

Ephesians 5:29 says "For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church." Maybe it's time we started to nourish and cherish ourselves and who we are- with Christ as our example. Perhaps we should accept who we once were and step forward believing that what we are currently facing will be for our good; that these small moments in time (although difficult) will not rob us of joy.

Loving who you are starts when you stop comparing yourselves to other people. Being someone who you were not purposefully created to be will hold you captive and drive you crazy- I've tried it, and honestly, it's no fun. I'm much happier, freer and more confident living as the person God made me to be. And, accepting both my strengths and weaknesses.